This was so true, I had to give praise to this author for articulating what perhaps has not been said before with such clarity.
From FictionGroupie.blogspot.com:
So as I go through this whole writing journey, I spend a lot of time observing other authors--be it in person or, more likely, on the internet. I want to know what makes one so successful and the other not as much. What makes one likable and another unapproachable. In other words, what separates the good from the great. And so, based on my very unscientific observations, I've come up with my own Ten Commandments. These are the things I've seen successful authors do and the things I strive to emulate. So here we go...
The Ten Commandments of a Successful Author
1. I will always strive to make the next book better than the last.
This is one that keeps me awake at night sometimes. The desire to make this next book better than the first one, to improve on every new project. We put so much effort into THAT book, you know the one to get the agent and the book deal. It's the best we have to give on a page. Then the dream happens and you're faced with book two and oh, you have a time limit this time, and oh if this one tanks, there may not be another book deal. *breathes into paper bag* The best authors out there manage to do this, even on tight deadlines, even when the check is already in the bank. They keep topping their own work.
2. I will not fear risk.
It's tempting to be safe, to stick to what you know and what you know works. But the best authors don't just put out book after book that follow the same formula. They take risks, they push boundaries, hell, some of them even test out different genre waters. With no risk, there's no challenge. Write the stories you want to write. If some don't work out, that's okay.
3. I will never believe "I'm the sh*t." Well, at least not for an extended period of time.
We've all seen it. The author that hits whatever level and now seems to wear the "I'm the sh*t" tiara. Don't do it. No matter if you top every bestseller list. It's okay when you get a good review or hit a list or write a passage that rocks to think to yourself--yep, I'm the shizz nizz, baby. But keep it to yourself--please--and don't let it go to your head. No one's that awesome.
4. I shall not wallow in a pool of self-pity and doubt when someone doesn't like me or my writing.
Someone, probably many someones, will absolutely hate your writing. It's inevitable. You can't please everyone. If you let negative feedback get in your head, it will eat away at your confidence like cancer. This goes for rejections too. Feel the sting, eat a piece of chocolate or take a shot of whiskey--whatever you're preference--and move on.
5. I will never respond to a bad review.
I said never. You hear? Never. Unless to say, "Thank you sir, can I have another?" I'm sure most of you saw the brouhaha on Twitter/Facebook/message boards the other day over a writer who lashed out at a reviewer online. At some point in your career, you will want to do this. It's human. You will want to yell, scream, insult, bestow your wrath upon someone who said something bad about your book.
Don't do it. This is what friends and spouses are for--call them, let it out, cuss the jerk who gave you the negative review. But never lash out publicly or at the reviewer. This will only serve to make you look petty and childish, which will make people not want to deal with you or buy your books. (And remember, lovelies, the internet is viral. One untoward comment can make the rounds faster than a case of croup at a daycare.)
6. Covet your neighbor's success. A dose of envy does a writer good.
There are all these posts out there about writer envy and jealousy telling you how you shouldn't waste time being envious of other writers and what they have, their level of success, etc. Yes, that's true. If you spend all your time burning green, you won't get anything else done. BUT, a little bit of this can be helpful. So and so got an agent and you haven't yet? Your crit partner hit the bestseller list but you can't seem to? Feel that envy and USE it. Use it as kindling under your butt and light a fire to keep going, to get what you want, to grab that success too. Envy with motivation can be very productive. Envy with whining and no action is what you need to avoid.
7. "Good enough" will never be good enough.
The best authors don't settle for good enough. If you've sold a bazillion books and you already have a deal for the next and everyone is lining up just for the privilege of sharing your air, it could be tempting to just write something that's "good enough". But the best authors don't. They put as much heart and guts into every book they put out every time.
8. I will not apologize for what I write.
Do not apologize for your passion. There are stigmas against all kinds of genres, not just romance like I talked about last week. But this is your writing, your story, and your blood on the page. Playing down what you write is playing down who you are. I know this one will be tough for me because once my book comes out, people in my life will know exactly what I write. I know some will judge me for it. I do not want to apologize for it. I'm proud of it.
9. I shall pay it forward.
The best writers give back. If any of you stopped by the blog Monday and saw the Operation Auction information, you know this is true. No we can't help others all the time. If Stephen King answered every email from a newbie on how to be a writer, he'd never get anything done. But he did write On Writing, which is a way of giving back what he's learned (even though, granted, he did make money writing that book.) So no matter how busy you get, try to find time to help others out. Maybe it's to offer a query crit to someone who hasn't queried before, maybe it's having a blog that gives information that everyone can benefit from, maybe it's volunteering your time at conferences or judging a contest. Whatever it is, find something. Think of those who've helped you in your journey. Don't you want to be one of those people another writer can think of?
10. Don't forget to have fun--you love this, dumbass. (Even when it's hard.)
It's easy to get caught up in the day to day--this chapter is so hard, I have a saggy middle, why won't these agents answer my queries--rut. But never forget, this is your dream. Enjoy the act of writing. And good Lord, if you do get the elusive book deal and become published, don't spend your time whining about the minutiae. It's okay for authors to tweet if they're struggling with an edit or whatever, but too much of that sounds like a whole bunch of whine. So many people want this. If you get it, be thankful and for heaven's sake, enjoy it! You get to make stuff up for a living.
So those are the ten writing commandments I'm working toward, what are some of yours? Which would you add? And which authors do you think emulate these things?
Showing posts with label FYI. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FYI. Show all posts
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Thursday, December 30, 2010
The Control Journal saved me!
The week before Christmas, my DH Randy became deathly ill. What started out as a cold-like flu morphed horribly into a very bad case of pneumonia, though I didn't know it at the time. When Randy asked to see a doctor, I knew then he was very sick. I took him to Solantic and they called an ambulance!
I had minutes to make the necessary phone calls, grab up our roomie, and drive to the hospital. I knew better than to break speed laws, much as I wanted to. While at the house picking up our roomie, I also quickly packed a few necessities for my husband's comfort. Then, I remembered one thing I'd need-- my Control Journal.
In my Control Journal was many of the things that kept me organized and --as the name implied-- in control. While our roomie drove us to the hospital, I updated the journal and made a few notes to myself as to who to call. The emergency section wasn't as filled out as I'd like, but you live and learn. That minor problem has been corrected.
As my husband was transferred from the ER of one hospital to a bed in another hospital and finally the ICU, my Control Journal and my FlyLady routines kept me from chaos both at home and while sitting at my DH's side. Now my DH is recovering, yet my house is clean and my sink is shiny.
I highly recommend the Control Journals. There's one for almost everyone and every need-- the housewife, the student, the teacher, the working woman, the financial problems, losing weight (called Body Clutter), and even one just for keeping control during the holidays.
www.flylady.net/images/OCJ.pdf is my personal control journal choice because I work at home, but if you Google "FlyLady Control Journal" you'll find a nice selection. You can also go to http://www.flylady.net/ to see and learn how to finally love yourself (FLY) and gain control over CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome.) You'll be glad you did.
Lena Austin
http://www.lenaaustin.com/
http://depravedduchess.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Let's talk BDSM-- The Limits List
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Friday, November 26, 2010
Thanksgiving Leftovers 2-- Turkey Carcass Soup
Thanksgiving Leftovers are never a problem with the Dinner Diva (http://www.savingdinner.com/) on the case!
If you don't take care of the bones in short order after the turkey is history, open the trashcan and give them a proper burial. They have been good to you and your family and have fed you well. I freeze the carcass as soon as I've picked off the last of the meat to avoid the "should I use it or dump it?" quandary.
To make delicious Roast Turkey Carcass Soup beyond your wildest dreams, follow these simple directions.
First, pull the carcass apart, throw it in a roaster and fling some quartered onions, carrots and celery in there, and about 8 whole cloves of garlic. Drizzled this mess with some olive oil and toss it in the oven at 425 for about 45 minutes. Pull the roaster from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes. Then put the roaster on the stovetop, add cold water (about 3/4 of the way up in the pan) and boil the whole thing right there (uncovered) for another hour (obviously we're talking about METAL pans here!!). Strain it, put in the fridge overnight, take off the top layer of grease and now this incredibly wonderful broth is ready for some action.
Note from Lena— I break the carcass a little until it fits in my large crock pot and let it do the work. Adding the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery are just part of good broth making, IMHO.
Roast Turkey Carcass Soup
Serves many
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Roast Turkey Carcass broth (see above directions to make)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of thyme (depending on taste and quantity of soup)
1 bag (10.5 oz.) extra wide egg noodles
In a soup pot, heat the olive oil till hot over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook 5 minutes till soft and translucent. Add the carrots and celery and cook another five minutes stirring occasionally. Salt and pepper well to taste.
Now add the Roast Turkey Carcass broth you just made. Bring everything to a rolling boil; don't cover the soup. Add the thyme and the egg noodles and serve when the noodles are al dente.
Lena Austin
http://www.lenaaustin.com/To make delicious Roast Turkey Carcass Soup beyond your wildest dreams, follow these simple directions.
First, pull the carcass apart, throw it in a roaster and fling some quartered onions, carrots and celery in there, and about 8 whole cloves of garlic. Drizzled this mess with some olive oil and toss it in the oven at 425 for about 45 minutes. Pull the roaster from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes. Then put the roaster on the stovetop, add cold water (about 3/4 of the way up in the pan) and boil the whole thing right there (uncovered) for another hour (obviously we're talking about METAL pans here!!). Strain it, put in the fridge overnight, take off the top layer of grease and now this incredibly wonderful broth is ready for some action.
Note from Lena— I break the carcass a little until it fits in my large crock pot and let it do the work. Adding the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery are just part of good broth making, IMHO.
Roast Turkey Carcass Soup
Serves many
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Roast Turkey Carcass broth (see above directions to make)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of thyme (depending on taste and quantity of soup)
1 bag (10.5 oz.) extra wide egg noodles
In a soup pot, heat the olive oil till hot over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook 5 minutes till soft and translucent. Add the carrots and celery and cook another five minutes stirring occasionally. Salt and pepper well to taste.
Now add the Roast Turkey Carcass broth you just made. Bring everything to a rolling boil; don't cover the soup. Add the thyme and the egg noodles and serve when the noodles are al dente.
Lena Austin
http://depravedduchess.blogspot.com/
Thursday, November 11, 2010
A great gift idea for the holidays--Stick it Right on the Money Stickers
This has to be the most innovative way to give a plain old monetary gift some pizzazz to show you really did think about what gift would suit the recipient.
My mother in law used to say that giving money, gift certificates, and gift cards were in a way a cop out and borderline rude. They require very little thought, and while "one size does fit all" it does show a certain casual disregard for the likes and dislikes of the recipient or even little more than a nod to the occasion.
However in today's busy world, sometimes giving cash can mean a whole lot more, especially when friends and family can be many miles apart. Cash spends well without having to worry.
Now, with Stick It Right On the Money stickers, you can do more than give a nod to the occasion! Each frame and sticker are "Post-it" sticky, so the money isn't damaged. (That's illegal.) See the video at the website. What a great gift idea.
Lena Austinhttp://www.lenaaustin.com/
Do you love my work? Then don't download from pirates.
When you steal what I've earned, you're hurting me.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Thanksgiving 5 Things
Thanksgiving Five Things
Doing these five things ahead will save you time, stress, and money. Do it now, and write them down. If you don't have the FlyLady Holiday Control Journal, go get one. http://www.flylady.net Search "Control Journal" and you'll find it.
1) Guest List. Pretty basic, but seriously, make your list; check it twice and start making those all-important phone calls. Knowing how many to plan for is an integral part of successful holiday planning.
2) The Menu. What are you having besides turkey? Make your menu and appropriate grocery list and get everything purchased except the perishables (do that a few days before). If you have stuff that might get mistakenly eaten before the big day, put it in a box and stash it in the linen closet or label it instructing your loved ones to stay far, far away from this Thanksgiving food item.
3) The Turkey. If you're going to order a fresh one, time's running out. Make that phone call now. Make sure you get a confirmation number (put the confirmation number on your calendar or checklist). If you're buying frozen go ahead and purchase it now, double bag it and stick in the fridge to start thawing.
4) Serving Pieces. Do you have everything you need? Platters, serving utensils, extra plates, napkins, etc.? Pull them out and set them aside; that's one less thing you'll need to do. If you don't have what you need, buy them or make phone calls to borrow and pick them up as soon as possible.
5) Linen Check. Pull out your tablecloth and napkins. Are they clean, are they pressed? If not, wash and iron them now then hang them up on hangers and put them in your hall closet (or wherever you can hang them). Doing them the night before or the day of will exhaust you! There's way too much to do on those two days.
Remember that holidays are for everyone, INCLUDING the cook! Don't forget to ask for help, allow others to bring some of their favorite dishes and on cooking day, make time to stop, put your feet up and be very thankful for the faces that will be sitting around your Thanksgiving table. Enjoy yourself this year!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
A Sad Day for Mythbusters Fans-- The Death of Sanjay Singh
A Haunted Halloween Blog Tour
Visit the Depraved Duchess for a Sexy Halloween
With Lena and her Friends
Lena Austin
http://www.lenaaustin.com/
http://depravedduchess.blogspot.com/
Visit the Depraved Duchess for a Sexy Halloween
With Lena and her Friends
Lena Austin
http://www.lenaaustin.com/
http://depravedduchess.blogspot.com/
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Charity Work for Crafters/Seamstresses
**Permission to Forward Granted and Encouraged**
I'm participating in the Million Pillowcase Challenge and I'm inviting my friends to join me. You can learn more here:
http://www.oldegreencupboard.com/1millionpillowcases.html
You can even pick up free patterns (There's a basic one for those who can do straight seams only *coughMerriPhoenixcough*) by clicking on the picture of the little girl or the link below:
http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/millionpillowcases/freepatterns/index.html
Please join us in giving to those who have faced disaster, abuse and heartbreak by giving them something handmade and cleaning out our fabric piles at the same time.
Send me pictures with your pillowcases so I can count them. The person who sends me a picture with the most will win one of my signed print books, Unicorn Valley.
Lena Austin
http://www.LenaAustin.com
Writing blog: http://depravedduchess.blogspot.com
Recipe and Pagan blog: http://third-infinity.blogspot.com
Low Carb Diet blog: http://fatfrogdiary.blogspot.com
I'm participating in the Million Pillowcase Challenge and I'm inviting my friends to join me. You can learn more here:
http://www.oldegreencupboard.com/1millionpillowcases.html
You can even pick up free patterns (There's a basic one for those who can do straight seams only *coughMerriPhoenixcough*) by clicking on the picture of the little girl or the link below:
http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/millionpillowcases/freepatterns/index.html
Please join us in giving to those who have faced disaster, abuse and heartbreak by giving them something handmade and cleaning out our fabric piles at the same time.
Send me pictures with your pillowcases so I can count them. The person who sends me a picture with the most will win one of my signed print books, Unicorn Valley.
Lena Austin
http://www.LenaAustin.com
Writing blog: http://depravedduchess.blogspot.com
Recipe and Pagan blog: http://third-infinity.blogspot.com
Low Carb Diet blog: http://fatfrogdiary.blogspot.com
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
A Day of Frustration
Today is one of those days where you have to force yourself into a professional attitude, no matter what your personal feelings. I have two big tasks today that must be completed, and there's no time for slacking or doing much more pleasant tasks.
The first and most pressing is that I must prepare the promotional materials for Changeling Press. Tomorrow is the TRSBlue Promotion (Yay!) and another is the choosing of which series books will be offered to ARE for their promotion. This must be completed by Friday. (Can you say PRESSURE? A little more warning would be nice...)
The next task also has a deadline, but is a personal deadline. I'd like to complete my edits on The God's Wife by the end of this week because the book releases in April. My editor isn't sparing my feelings on this massive rewrite of my first ever sale, and I expect nothing less. I wrote it as a complete amateur and it needed an overhaul for a lot of reasons besides just putting the sex back. AMP hasn't given me the new cover art yet, or I'd share.
Then I can begin a week's holiday to recharge before plunging back into my beloved series, The Coyotes of Yellowstone and the latest title, "Man vs. Wild." I really need to recharge, so I'm going down to St. Augustine with my cousin, mom, and maybe some of our daughters will tag along. If not, we'll rampage unchecked through Saks, Talbots, Le Crueset, and gosh knows what else before we collapse. Should be one hella good time.
The characters of Man vs. Wild are plaguing me half to death, and well they should. I had to put them on hold while I worked on the edits. Leaving the host of a survival reality show and his shifter lover en flagrante delicato for more than two weeks is cruel. This is a fun story to write, and I can't wait to return to Reno and Foxxe. (Yeah, I'm stealing a little from Bear Gryls. He's so sexy!)
I won't take much of a vacation, because the next two stories aren't leaving me a lone. "Bunnicula" and "Don't Need Another Hero" have very strong characters and plots pressing into my brain! ARRGH!! By the way, don't take those titles for gospel. I haven't had them approved yet. They're just working titles.
Well, that catches you up on what's going on in Lena's Weird Worlds. I hope.
The first and most pressing is that I must prepare the promotional materials for Changeling Press. Tomorrow is the TRSBlue Promotion (Yay!) and another is the choosing of which series books will be offered to ARE for their promotion. This must be completed by Friday. (Can you say PRESSURE? A little more warning would be nice...)
The next task also has a deadline, but is a personal deadline. I'd like to complete my edits on The God's Wife by the end of this week because the book releases in April. My editor isn't sparing my feelings on this massive rewrite of my first ever sale, and I expect nothing less. I wrote it as a complete amateur and it needed an overhaul for a lot of reasons besides just putting the sex back. AMP hasn't given me the new cover art yet, or I'd share.
Then I can begin a week's holiday to recharge before plunging back into my beloved series, The Coyotes of Yellowstone and the latest title, "Man vs. Wild." I really need to recharge, so I'm going down to St. Augustine with my cousin, mom, and maybe some of our daughters will tag along. If not, we'll rampage unchecked through Saks, Talbots, Le Crueset, and gosh knows what else before we collapse. Should be one hella good time.
The characters of Man vs. Wild are plaguing me half to death, and well they should. I had to put them on hold while I worked on the edits. Leaving the host of a survival reality show and his shifter lover en flagrante delicato for more than two weeks is cruel. This is a fun story to write, and I can't wait to return to Reno and Foxxe. (Yeah, I'm stealing a little from Bear Gryls. He's so sexy!)
I won't take much of a vacation, because the next two stories aren't leaving me a lone. "Bunnicula" and "Don't Need Another Hero" have very strong characters and plots pressing into my brain! ARRGH!! By the way, don't take those titles for gospel. I haven't had them approved yet. They're just working titles.
Well, that catches you up on what's going on in Lena's Weird Worlds. I hope.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Carnal Nation Headlines 10/17/2009
I get the news from CarnalNation.com, and normally I just post the URL. This time, the stuff was too good not to share in its entirety. I do urge my friends to get their own subscription.
CarnalNation Headlines for 10/17/2009
Sat, October 17, 2009 4:08:21 AM
From:
CarnalNation
Multimedia: The Smell of Sex
To quote a friend, sex is "physical, psychological, emotional, aural and olfactoral". This episode is dedicated to sex smells.[Read More]
posted Oct 16, 2009 04:46 pm by Betty Dodson and Carlin RossSurvey: 36% Tweet After Sex
Once upon a time, the graphic shorthand for someone enjoying the warm glow of post-coital bliss was to show them relaxing in bed, slowly smoking a cigarette. Unfortunately, all that post-sex smoking meant that in addition to STIs, pregnancy, and heartache, sleeping around also put you at increased risk for lung cancer. Nowadays, the kids do things differently, at least according to a survey done by shopping website Retreveo.com. For a significant number of young people, the cell phone has replaced the cigarette of Mad Men-style sex. Retreveo says that 36 percent of people under 35 post to social networking services like Twitter and Facebook after having sex. Eight percent of those over 35 did so. "Moreover," Retreveo says, "men are twice as likely to exhibit this behavior than women and if you’re an iPhone owner you’re three times more likely to go social media after you-know-what than Blackberry owners." Thirty-four percent of the under-35 group also said that they would frequently post updates while on a date, in contrast to 9 percent of those over 35.[Read More]
posted Oct 16, 2009 03:33 pm by Chris HallIntersex
You are receiving this email because you requested it at the CarnalNation.com website.
CarnalNation
530 Divisadero St #192
CarnalNation Headlines for 10/17/2009
Sat, October 17, 2009 4:08:21 AM
From:
CarnalNation
published 10/17/2009
Multimedia: The Smell of Sex
To quote a friend, sex is "physical, psychological, emotional, aural and olfactoral". This episode is dedicated to sex smells.[Read More]
posted Oct 16, 2009 04:46 pm by Betty Dodson and Carlin RossSurvey: 36% Tweet After Sex
Once upon a time, the graphic shorthand for someone enjoying the warm glow of post-coital bliss was to show them relaxing in bed, slowly smoking a cigarette. Unfortunately, all that post-sex smoking meant that in addition to STIs, pregnancy, and heartache, sleeping around also put you at increased risk for lung cancer. Nowadays, the kids do things differently, at least according to a survey done by shopping website Retreveo.com. For a significant number of young people, the cell phone has replaced the cigarette of Mad Men-style sex. Retreveo says that 36 percent of people under 35 post to social networking services like Twitter and Facebook after having sex. Eight percent of those over 35 did so. "Moreover," Retreveo says, "men are twice as likely to exhibit this behavior than women and if you’re an iPhone owner you’re three times more likely to go social media after you-know-what than Blackberry owners." Thirty-four percent of the under-35 group also said that they would frequently post updates while on a date, in contrast to 9 percent of those over 35.[Read More]
posted Oct 16, 2009 03:33 pm by Chris HallIntersex
Australians Must Join Sex Offender Registry To Get Medication
Cyproterone Acetate, better known as Androcur, is an anti-androgen medication taken by both male and female intersex individuals. A change in Australian health care policy, though, means that intersex people--those born with both male and female biological traits--can only get Androcur by signing themselves onto a potential sex offenders' list. The same is true for female-indentified transsexuals, who take the drug to suppress male hormones.
The problem is that the government only approves the drug for two reasons: for prostate cancer, and for registered sex offenders, since the androgen prohibitor reduces one's sex drive.[Read More]
posted Oct 16, 2009 01:56 pm by Matthew Lawrence
Cyproterone Acetate, better known as Androcur, is an anti-androgen medication taken by both male and female intersex individuals. A change in Australian health care policy, though, means that intersex people--those born with both male and female biological traits--can only get Androcur by signing themselves onto a potential sex offenders' list. The same is true for female-indentified transsexuals, who take the drug to suppress male hormones.
The problem is that the government only approves the drug for two reasons: for prostate cancer, and for registered sex offenders, since the androgen prohibitor reduces one's sex drive.[Read More]
posted Oct 16, 2009 01:56 pm by Matthew Lawrence
'Victimized' by Affirmative Action, Swedish Co-eds File Class-Action Lawsuit
It is something of a cliché that everything comes full circle, and sometimes that circle can be rather vicious in its orbital return to the starting point. Take, for example, affirmative action, the principle/policy through which institutions attempt to maximize diversity and equality as well as to redress past imbalances and discrimination based on race, gender, or ethnicity. It would seem inevitable that at some point inequality would shift from the formerly disadvantaged to the formerly advantaged. At Sweden's Lund University, men are now the underrepresented population that benefits from affirmative action, and women aren't happy about it.[Read More]
It is something of a cliché that everything comes full circle, and sometimes that circle can be rather vicious in its orbital return to the starting point. Take, for example, affirmative action, the principle/policy through which institutions attempt to maximize diversity and equality as well as to redress past imbalances and discrimination based on race, gender, or ethnicity. It would seem inevitable that at some point inequality would shift from the formerly disadvantaged to the formerly advantaged. At Sweden's Lund University, men are now the underrepresented population that benefits from affirmative action, and women aren't happy about it.[Read More]
posted Oct 16, 2009 01:50 pm by Tim McElreavy
Sex Disasters: Swoon!
She came. She screamed. She passed out.
Fainting during orgasm, or orgasmic syncope, is one of those things that happens more often in porn than in reality. But it does happen in reality. Usually it's nothing to worry about. But, just to be on the safe side...
Lay the faintee flat on her (for the purposes of discussion, we'll assume it's a "her") back. Check to make sure she's breathing and that her heart is beating regularly. If you don't know how to take a pulse, the front pages of your local phone book often have good basic instruction. (And take a good first-aid and CPR class soon, OK?)[Read More]
posted Oct 16, 2009 12:48 pm by Charles Moser and Janet Hardy
She came. She screamed. She passed out.
Fainting during orgasm, or orgasmic syncope, is one of those things that happens more often in porn than in reality. But it does happen in reality. Usually it's nothing to worry about. But, just to be on the safe side...
Lay the faintee flat on her (for the purposes of discussion, we'll assume it's a "her") back. Check to make sure she's breathing and that her heart is beating regularly. If you don't know how to take a pulse, the front pages of your local phone book often have good basic instruction. (And take a good first-aid and CPR class soon, OK?)[Read More]
posted Oct 16, 2009 12:48 pm by Charles Moser and Janet Hardy
You are receiving this email because you requested it at the CarnalNation.com website.
CarnalNation
530 Divisadero St #192
San Francisco, CA 94117
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
LGBT Ebook and Print Releases April 11-17, 2009
Elisa Rolle sent me the following. I approve and pass on to you this lovely list.
Lena
Following are the LGBT releases for April 11-17 that I will post on Sunday.
Every release will have an excerpt link (posted on my LiveJournal), if available, and a buy link (to the publisher website).
The authors who haven't already sent me an excerpt to post are welcome to do so: if I receive the excerpt before saturday, I will post it this weekend, otherwise I will post it the following weekend and update the releases post.
AMBER ALLURE
Most Likely To Succeed by Shawn Lane
Paxton's Winter by T. D. McKinney
CHANGELING PRESS
Hoosier Werewolf: Howl & Prowl (Collection) by Kate Steele
Coyote Non Grata by Lena Austin
Bad Angels: Falling by Belinda McBride
DREAMSPINNER PRESS
A Strong Hand by Catt Ford
Naval Maneuvers by John Simpson
EXCESSICA
Like Magnets, We Attract edited by Jaye Valentine
Dance of the Ravishers by Habu
LITERARY ROAD
Dragonmen Book 1: Mate Hunt by Amber Kell
LOOSE ID
Northern Love by Nica Berry
Reckless Behavior by Amanda Young
LULU PRESS
Somatesthesia by Ann Somerville
MLR PRESS
Angels of the Deep by Kirby Crow
PHAZE BOOKS
Hungry Heart by Jamie Hill
TORQUERE PRESS
Between Us by AKM Miles
Out to Lunch by Anah Crow and Dianne Fox
Possessor and Possessed: A Jarheads Story by Sean Michael
Lemon Drops by Sean Michael
Saffron Stains by Alex Draven
Taste Test: Chrome by Tory Temple
Taste Test: Legendary Creatures, edited by Lorna Hinson with stories by ID Locke, Kate Roman and BA Tortuga
Toy Box: Beads edited by M. Rode with stories by Lee Benoit, S. Blaise and Syd McGinley
TOTAL-E-BOUND
Wolfen Choice by Jamie Hill & Jude Mason
Warmest Regards, Elisa
ELISA
My Journal: elisa-rolle.livejournal.com
My Blog: rosaromance.splinder.com
My Library: www.librarything.com/catalog/elisa.rolle
My Space: www.myspace.com/elisarolle
Monday, April 13, 2009
Amazon Debacle-- A calm look
My boss M says this:
Sounds like someone's suing Amazon for selling "Adult" media to minors. Wondered how long that would take. Notice they don't ask for age verification anywhere.
Frankly, I don't think Amazon's sales rankings do anything for us anyway. We're Small Press. That's not how people find our books. They're more likely to find them searching by author or title, or by following a line form our -- or your -- website.
Food for thought: Amazon's invested heavily in their own, proprietary, EXPENSIVE ebook reader, which has no other use but to read e-books, and which reads primarily a format which they also own, MobiPocket -- the least user friendly program I have to deal with.
BN, on the other hand, just purchased FictionWise, which offers all their books in Multiformat files to be read on any reader, PDA, cell phone, laptop desktop -- you name it, if it's newer than a Commodore 64, it works. If I were in the mood to buy stocks, I sure wouldn't be buying Amazon...
As for Amazon, well, it works both ways. If they drop our books, they don't make any more money off of our customers. And BN.com doesn't seem to have a problem with our content.
Kinda makes you want to go buy a copy of Unicorn Valley at BN.com, doesn't it?
M makes a good point. Hit 'em in the wallet. If Amazon doesn't want to sell my books, others do.
Sounds like someone's suing Amazon for selling "Adult" media to minors. Wondered how long that would take. Notice they don't ask for age verification anywhere.
Frankly, I don't think Amazon's sales rankings do anything for us anyway. We're Small Press. That's not how people find our books. They're more likely to find them searching by author or title, or by following a line form our -- or your -- website.
Food for thought: Amazon's invested heavily in their own, proprietary, EXPENSIVE ebook reader, which has no other use but to read e-books, and which reads primarily a format which they also own, MobiPocket -- the least user friendly program I have to deal with.
BN, on the other hand, just purchased FictionWise, which offers all their books in Multiformat files to be read on any reader, PDA, cell phone, laptop desktop -- you name it, if it's newer than a Commodore 64, it works. If I were in the mood to buy stocks, I sure wouldn't be buying Amazon...
As for Amazon, well, it works both ways. If they drop our books, they don't make any more money off of our customers. And BN.com doesn't seem to have a problem with our content.
Kinda makes you want to go buy a copy of Unicorn Valley at BN.com, doesn't it?
M makes a good point. Hit 'em in the wallet. If Amazon doesn't want to sell my books, others do.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Amazon Ranking-- Gay is the New Black
http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/index.php/weblog/comments/amazon-rank/#com
When did it become okay for a large business to blatantly discriminate against one group of Americans? When did censorship become mainstream?
Is being gay the latest in a long line of groups discriminated against, right along with the obese and the smokers?
I protest!
When did it become okay for a large business to blatantly discriminate against one group of Americans? When did censorship become mainstream?
Is being gay the latest in a long line of groups discriminated against, right along with the obese and the smokers?
I protest!
Recycle Your Cell Phone
I'm a big supporter of cells for soldiers, so this artcle caught my eye. Why not keep that cell and its toxic contents out of the landfills by doing some good?
http://green.yahoo.com/blog/daily_green_news/16/four-ways-to-give-to-charity-by-recycling-your-cell-phone.html
http://green.yahoo.com/blog/daily_green_news/16/four-ways-to-give-to-charity-by-recycling-your-cell-phone.html
Friday, April 10, 2009
Doing the Hulu!
No, I didn't misspell anything in the subject line.
If you've had your head under a rock, then you may not have heard of the newest Thank-God-For-The-Internet sensation, www.Hulu.com.
I heard about Hulu.com first from my favorite personal finance blog, Get Rich Slowly. Then, my dear friend Terrie told me she'd signed up. Honey, Terrie is a cautious woman who trusts no one. If Terrie signs up for something, then I trust her judgment. She steered me toward Netflix.com, and I've never been sorry!
What's Hulu? FREE TV SHOWS! All my old faves, like Nova, Ghost Hunters, Dresden Files, Dark Shadows, Good Eats (just clips, for now), and Gardening by the Yard! Between Hulu and Netflix, who needs cable TV? Not me! I'm thrilled beyond measure.
Hey, it's FREE. (My favorite brand when I'm shopping, right up there with "On Sale.") What have you got to lose?
Lena
If you've had your head under a rock, then you may not have heard of the newest Thank-God-For-The-Internet sensation, www.Hulu.com.
I heard about Hulu.com first from my favorite personal finance blog, Get Rich Slowly. Then, my dear friend Terrie told me she'd signed up. Honey, Terrie is a cautious woman who trusts no one. If Terrie signs up for something, then I trust her judgment. She steered me toward Netflix.com, and I've never been sorry!
What's Hulu? FREE TV SHOWS! All my old faves, like Nova, Ghost Hunters, Dresden Files, Dark Shadows, Good Eats (just clips, for now), and Gardening by the Yard! Between Hulu and Netflix, who needs cable TV? Not me! I'm thrilled beyond measure.
Hey, it's FREE. (My favorite brand when I'm shopping, right up there with "On Sale.") What have you got to lose?
Lena
Monday, March 30, 2009
Diet Detective-- Calorie Rip-Offs
Just looking at the rip-offs on the Starbuck's list makes me cringe. Those were of course my favorites. As the Diet Detective rightly points out, those weren't even meals.
http://www.dietdetective.com/content/view/2108/156/
http://www.dietdetective.com/content/view/2108/156/
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Confessions of a Butcher-- Eating Well for Cheap
Confessions of a Butcher: Eating Steak on a Hamburger Budget
Posted: 14 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST
Every week, I receive a couple of books in the mail from authors and publishers. (This week there were six!) They’re hoping that I’ll find time to review their work at Get Rich Slowly. I do my best, but it’s impossible to read everything. When John Smith offered to send me his book, Confessions of a Butcher, I wasn’t expecting much. I’ve read a few niche books like this, and they’re usually uninspiring. As a full-fledged carnivore, I’m please to report this one is different. Smith spent more than 30 years in the meat industry, and he’s used his experience to produce a short book packed with information. Confessions of a Butcher contains: 60 pages describing different cuts of meat and offering suggestions for cheaper alternatives. A glossary of meat-related terms. An appendix containing 30 pages of short articles, such as “What to do with leftover turkey”. The book has sections on beef (steaks, quality steaks, roasts, ribs, ground beef), pork (chops and steaks, roasts, ribs), lamb, veal, and chicken. Smith lists about 100 cuts of meat (most of which are beef). He briefly describes each cut, and then suggests cheaper (or higher-quality) alternatives. Smith granted me permission to reprint some examples from the book. Here are his entries for stew meat, ground beef, and lamb. Beef for stew Money-saving alternatives: chuck roast, rump roast, cross rib roast, round steak, brisket, flatiron, chuck flat strip. Stew meat is made from the trim that is left over from the day’s cuttings. Even when stew meat is on sale, it may not be as cheap as many other cuts. Boneless chuck roasts and round steaks on sale will be cheaper, sometimes a lot cheaper. Find the cheapest and leanest cut of meat and cut into cubes for stew or ask the butcher for his assistance. I did this! Best darn stew meat for $1 per pound less!! Shocking, but true. Now having said all that, the best meat for stew, in my humble opinion, comes from the brisket, flatiron, or the chuck flat strip. These three cuts should cost you less than the stew meat in the counter but may not be the best deal you can find. They will however be the best stew meat you can find. Regular ground beef Money-saving alternative: boneless chuck roasts. Regular ground beef is 27 to 30 percent fat and usually priced to sell. However, you should be able to find boneless chuck roasts on sale for about the same price. Have the butcher grind some up for you. You may not save much, if any, money, but you will get a lot better product. Just about any cut of beef in the counter, when ground, will definitely make leaner and nicer ground beef than regular hamburger. LambMoney-saving alternative: see below. The best thing you can do to save money on lamb purchases is either watch the ads or shop for lamb in a store that is part of a major supermarket chain but located in a blue-collar neighborhood. Most major supermarkets have a meat counter schematic that is the same throughout the chain. In a blue-collar meat and potatoes kind of neighborhood, lamb is not a regular part of the diet, but the local supermarket still has to carry a lamb lineup. In these types of stores, you may find legs of lamb and the like reduced to sell. I have worked in several stores just like this and have been eating lamb (and saving lots of money) ever since. Ask the butcher if the store ever reduces lamb and when to look for it. Another alternative is to buy lamb from the farmer and have it processed at a local custom meat plant. Be ware that you will lose more than 50 percent from the processing. I think this is great information. Kris and I have always been puzzled why our friend AJ produces better stews than we do. It’s likely that she’s just a better cook, but maybe she uses a different cut of meat. Also, I had my first ground sirloin burger last month. I’m not sure I can go back to regular ground beef after that. (Yes, I realize ground sirloin is more expensive.) Note: Did you notice something about each of these three tips? They all involve speaking with your butcher. This is true of many of the book’s suggestions, and in a way it’s disconcerting. Kris and I discussed this, and we realized that we don’t “have a butcher”. We go to the supermarket to pick up meat. Sometimes we ask the person behind the counter for a particular steak. That’s it. We’ve never thought about asking to have meat ground. What about you? Do you have a butcher? Although I found the book interesting, Kris was less enthused. “If you had a recipe and were looking to save money, this would be handy book,” she told me. “But it assumes too much on the part of the reader. It uses a lot of meat-related terms, many of which aren’t in the glossary. Plus, I would have liked more detail on what recipes each bargain cut would be good for.” “Would you pay $11.95 for this book?” I asked. “No,” she said. “But I might if it were beefier — with charts and hints and recipes.” (Note: Kris didn’t really say “beefier”. That’s just me being funny.) I, however, would pay $11.95 for Confessions of a Butcher. We buy a lot of meat, and if the book saved us even a few bucks, it would have paid for itself. I do agree, however, that it’s a bit jargony and could benefit from some diagrams and recipes. (Rumor has it there’s a sequel in the works that will address some of these concerns. I’d rather see a revised edition that lumped everything together.) I’ll leave you with my favorite piece of advice from John Smith. In the chapter about butcher etiquette, he writes: To really butter up your butcher, always leave a nice comment on his helpfulness and professionalism as you go through the checkstand…Some homemade cookies once in a while won’t hurt either. Come to think of it, bloggers like homemade cookies too! For more on this subject, check out these articles from the archives: Making the most of cheap cuts of beef and How to buy a side of beef. ---Related Articles at Get Rich Slowly: Is Eating Out Cheaper Than Eating In? Learning to Eat More Meals at Home Just Say No (to Patronizing Ads) How to Buy a Side of Beef Making the Most of Cheap Cuts of Beef
Posted: 14 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST
Every week, I receive a couple of books in the mail from authors and publishers. (This week there were six!) They’re hoping that I’ll find time to review their work at Get Rich Slowly. I do my best, but it’s impossible to read everything. When John Smith offered to send me his book, Confessions of a Butcher, I wasn’t expecting much. I’ve read a few niche books like this, and they’re usually uninspiring. As a full-fledged carnivore, I’m please to report this one is different. Smith spent more than 30 years in the meat industry, and he’s used his experience to produce a short book packed with information. Confessions of a Butcher contains: 60 pages describing different cuts of meat and offering suggestions for cheaper alternatives. A glossary of meat-related terms. An appendix containing 30 pages of short articles, such as “What to do with leftover turkey”. The book has sections on beef (steaks, quality steaks, roasts, ribs, ground beef), pork (chops and steaks, roasts, ribs), lamb, veal, and chicken. Smith lists about 100 cuts of meat (most of which are beef). He briefly describes each cut, and then suggests cheaper (or higher-quality) alternatives. Smith granted me permission to reprint some examples from the book. Here are his entries for stew meat, ground beef, and lamb. Beef for stew Money-saving alternatives: chuck roast, rump roast, cross rib roast, round steak, brisket, flatiron, chuck flat strip. Stew meat is made from the trim that is left over from the day’s cuttings. Even when stew meat is on sale, it may not be as cheap as many other cuts. Boneless chuck roasts and round steaks on sale will be cheaper, sometimes a lot cheaper. Find the cheapest and leanest cut of meat and cut into cubes for stew or ask the butcher for his assistance. I did this! Best darn stew meat for $1 per pound less!! Shocking, but true. Now having said all that, the best meat for stew, in my humble opinion, comes from the brisket, flatiron, or the chuck flat strip. These three cuts should cost you less than the stew meat in the counter but may not be the best deal you can find. They will however be the best stew meat you can find. Regular ground beef Money-saving alternative: boneless chuck roasts. Regular ground beef is 27 to 30 percent fat and usually priced to sell. However, you should be able to find boneless chuck roasts on sale for about the same price. Have the butcher grind some up for you. You may not save much, if any, money, but you will get a lot better product. Just about any cut of beef in the counter, when ground, will definitely make leaner and nicer ground beef than regular hamburger. LambMoney-saving alternative: see below. The best thing you can do to save money on lamb purchases is either watch the ads or shop for lamb in a store that is part of a major supermarket chain but located in a blue-collar neighborhood. Most major supermarkets have a meat counter schematic that is the same throughout the chain. In a blue-collar meat and potatoes kind of neighborhood, lamb is not a regular part of the diet, but the local supermarket still has to carry a lamb lineup. In these types of stores, you may find legs of lamb and the like reduced to sell. I have worked in several stores just like this and have been eating lamb (and saving lots of money) ever since. Ask the butcher if the store ever reduces lamb and when to look for it. Another alternative is to buy lamb from the farmer and have it processed at a local custom meat plant. Be ware that you will lose more than 50 percent from the processing. I think this is great information. Kris and I have always been puzzled why our friend AJ produces better stews than we do. It’s likely that she’s just a better cook, but maybe she uses a different cut of meat. Also, I had my first ground sirloin burger last month. I’m not sure I can go back to regular ground beef after that. (Yes, I realize ground sirloin is more expensive.) Note: Did you notice something about each of these three tips? They all involve speaking with your butcher. This is true of many of the book’s suggestions, and in a way it’s disconcerting. Kris and I discussed this, and we realized that we don’t “have a butcher”. We go to the supermarket to pick up meat. Sometimes we ask the person behind the counter for a particular steak. That’s it. We’ve never thought about asking to have meat ground. What about you? Do you have a butcher? Although I found the book interesting, Kris was less enthused. “If you had a recipe and were looking to save money, this would be handy book,” she told me. “But it assumes too much on the part of the reader. It uses a lot of meat-related terms, many of which aren’t in the glossary. Plus, I would have liked more detail on what recipes each bargain cut would be good for.” “Would you pay $11.95 for this book?” I asked. “No,” she said. “But I might if it were beefier — with charts and hints and recipes.” (Note: Kris didn’t really say “beefier”. That’s just me being funny.) I, however, would pay $11.95 for Confessions of a Butcher. We buy a lot of meat, and if the book saved us even a few bucks, it would have paid for itself. I do agree, however, that it’s a bit jargony and could benefit from some diagrams and recipes. (Rumor has it there’s a sequel in the works that will address some of these concerns. I’d rather see a revised edition that lumped everything together.) I’ll leave you with my favorite piece of advice from John Smith. In the chapter about butcher etiquette, he writes: To really butter up your butcher, always leave a nice comment on his helpfulness and professionalism as you go through the checkstand…Some homemade cookies once in a while won’t hurt either. Come to think of it, bloggers like homemade cookies too! For more on this subject, check out these articles from the archives: Making the most of cheap cuts of beef and How to buy a side of beef. ---Related Articles at Get Rich Slowly: Is Eating Out Cheaper Than Eating In? Learning to Eat More Meals at Home Just Say No (to Patronizing Ads) How to Buy a Side of Beef Making the Most of Cheap Cuts of Beef
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Bankrate's 2009 Tax Guide
I get nervous at this time of year, and I procrastinate about doing the taxes. Yep, I hate that the math and the headache. This helped.
Bankrate’s 2009 Tax Guide
Posted: 18 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST
It’s tax season! I’m a little lategetting around to my own taxes this year — I’ve had other things to worry about. One of my goals for this weekend is to begin rounding up all of the necessary documents. And, as usual, one of my first stops for information will be the Bankrate Tax Guide. Every year, they offer the following resources:
Tax calendar — “April 15 isn’t the only important day for taxes. Our tax calendar provides you with many others to circle.”
Daily tax tip — “The daily tax tip plus an array of tax tools, terms and training will help you through filing and beyond.”
Filing and refunds — “Get it done right the first time with this advice on free filing, e-filing, documentation and refunds.”
Forms and charts — “Search here for all the new tax rates, exemption and deduction amounts, plus estate and gift tax exclusions.”
Realty/capital gains — “Home, sweet home. Your home is likely your biggest investment and it affords you some great tax breaks to boot.”
Family — “You care for your children and dependents all year. At tax time Uncle Sam may take care of you.”
Work — “Take advantage of benefits at work and you may find your job even more rewarding at tax time.”
Investments — “Investing wisely is a critical part of your wealth-building strategy. Keeping it away from the IRS should be another.”
Education — “Take some of the sting out of the ever-increasing cost of college by applying these tax-favored options.”
Retirement — “Whether you’re self-employed or work for others, many tax-advantaged retirement vehicles are at your disposal.”
Philanthropy — “Even the IRS has a heart. Giving to charity can be a wise tax move, as long as you follow the rules.”
Calculators — “We’ve added 11 new tax calculators to help make your tax preparations easier than ever!”
Videos — “Bankrate helps you picture how to get the most out of your tax filing.”
Get Rich Slowly doesn’t have a huge body of tax information. Still, there are a few useful articles kicking around in the archives:
Common red flags that lead to IRS audits
Free File: A fast, easy way to file your federal income taxes
A contrarian view: Why I love a huge tax refund (note that I no longer aim for a refund, but I still understand the motive to do so)
Ask the readers: Should I prepare my own taxes or go to an accountant?
The first-time homebuyer tax credit
The saver’s tax credit for retirement savings contributions
Have you started your taxes yet? Already filed? (Already received a refund?!) Are there tax subjects you’d like to see covered at Get Rich Slowly? Great resources you’ve found on the web? Tax stuff usually bores me, but I’m willing to write about the things that you find useful.
---Related Articles at Get Rich Slowly:
Bankrate’s 2008 Tax Guide
Bankrate’s 2007 Tax Guide
Daily Links: 20th Anniversary Edition
Free Downloadable Suze Orman Book from Oprah
Free Book Chapter: ‘Money Day’
Bankrate’s 2009 Tax Guide
Posted: 18 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST
It’s tax season! I’m a little lategetting around to my own taxes this year — I’ve had other things to worry about. One of my goals for this weekend is to begin rounding up all of the necessary documents. And, as usual, one of my first stops for information will be the Bankrate Tax Guide. Every year, they offer the following resources:
Tax calendar — “April 15 isn’t the only important day for taxes. Our tax calendar provides you with many others to circle.”
Daily tax tip — “The daily tax tip plus an array of tax tools, terms and training will help you through filing and beyond.”
Filing and refunds — “Get it done right the first time with this advice on free filing, e-filing, documentation and refunds.”
Forms and charts — “Search here for all the new tax rates, exemption and deduction amounts, plus estate and gift tax exclusions.”
Realty/capital gains — “Home, sweet home. Your home is likely your biggest investment and it affords you some great tax breaks to boot.”
Family — “You care for your children and dependents all year. At tax time Uncle Sam may take care of you.”
Work — “Take advantage of benefits at work and you may find your job even more rewarding at tax time.”
Investments — “Investing wisely is a critical part of your wealth-building strategy. Keeping it away from the IRS should be another.”
Education — “Take some of the sting out of the ever-increasing cost of college by applying these tax-favored options.”
Retirement — “Whether you’re self-employed or work for others, many tax-advantaged retirement vehicles are at your disposal.”
Philanthropy — “Even the IRS has a heart. Giving to charity can be a wise tax move, as long as you follow the rules.”
Calculators — “We’ve added 11 new tax calculators to help make your tax preparations easier than ever!”
Videos — “Bankrate helps you picture how to get the most out of your tax filing.”
Get Rich Slowly doesn’t have a huge body of tax information. Still, there are a few useful articles kicking around in the archives:
Common red flags that lead to IRS audits
Free File: A fast, easy way to file your federal income taxes
A contrarian view: Why I love a huge tax refund (note that I no longer aim for a refund, but I still understand the motive to do so)
Ask the readers: Should I prepare my own taxes or go to an accountant?
The first-time homebuyer tax credit
The saver’s tax credit for retirement savings contributions
Have you started your taxes yet? Already filed? (Already received a refund?!) Are there tax subjects you’d like to see covered at Get Rich Slowly? Great resources you’ve found on the web? Tax stuff usually bores me, but I’m willing to write about the things that you find useful.
---Related Articles at Get Rich Slowly:
Bankrate’s 2008 Tax Guide
Bankrate’s 2007 Tax Guide
Daily Links: 20th Anniversary Edition
Free Downloadable Suze Orman Book from Oprah
Free Book Chapter: ‘Money Day’
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
A Milestone-- Below 40 BMI and No Longer Morbidly Obese
According to my bathroom scale this morning, my weight has now dropped to 242, down from my official start of 286. That's 44 pounds, gone forever.
More significantly, my BMI has now dropped below 40, and I'm no longer considered "morbidly obese" and am now merely (!) "obese." BMI charts seem to differ, but I wanted to be sure that, by all their numbers, I'm now simply "obese." Uhhh...thanks?
In some ways, it's significant that I'm merely on the chart at all! Some BMI charts don't even go as high as 250 lbs, as if such a weight does not bear noticing. It should be noticed. In fact, moreso than the weights closer to the ideal, IMHO!
Those who are morbidly obese need MORE help, not less! Am I saying they (formerly, "we") need sympathy? Not necessarily. However, because there are issues --health and social are the two main ones-- the morbidly obese need to be on the charts and in the sights of the medical community.
Not to mention, the insurance company bean counters need to seriously rethink how difficult they make it for those who WANT help to get it. There are several diet pills out there proven to be effective when medically monitored and used in conjunction with nutrition counseling, behavior modification and --yes, I'll say it!-- a stern talking to the family about sabotage. Then, if that doesn't work, the insurance company needs to give in and make the various forms of bariatric surgery available without a fight, huge co-pays, and long waits while the patient "proves" how serious they are.
C'mon! Obesity causes very serious health issues like high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, sleep apnea, and stroke. The medications and/or treatments for these ailments can cost much more than the surgery annually for each patient if they're hospitalized once. My sleep apnea machine cost more than a grand, even before I used it once. The supplies for it cost about $600 a year, and that's what my insurance pays for! This doesn't include my regular visits to two different doctors and the obesity-related medications for pain, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar.
Since my LapBand was installed, I no longer need my cholesterol medication, I haven't taken a pain pill in months, I haven't had an apnea problem in three months, and I'm fairly sure my blood sugar is now close to normal, judging by the way I feel. That's with a "mere" 44 pounds gone out of the nearly 150 total I need to lose by the BMI charts to reach my "healthy" range.
How much more money do the insurance companies have to spend before they figure this out?
More significantly, my BMI has now dropped below 40, and I'm no longer considered "morbidly obese" and am now merely (!) "obese." BMI charts seem to differ, but I wanted to be sure that, by all their numbers, I'm now simply "obese." Uhhh...thanks?
In some ways, it's significant that I'm merely on the chart at all! Some BMI charts don't even go as high as 250 lbs, as if such a weight does not bear noticing. It should be noticed. In fact, moreso than the weights closer to the ideal, IMHO!
Those who are morbidly obese need MORE help, not less! Am I saying they (formerly, "we") need sympathy? Not necessarily. However, because there are issues --health and social are the two main ones-- the morbidly obese need to be on the charts and in the sights of the medical community.
Not to mention, the insurance company bean counters need to seriously rethink how difficult they make it for those who WANT help to get it. There are several diet pills out there proven to be effective when medically monitored and used in conjunction with nutrition counseling, behavior modification and --yes, I'll say it!-- a stern talking to the family about sabotage. Then, if that doesn't work, the insurance company needs to give in and make the various forms of bariatric surgery available without a fight, huge co-pays, and long waits while the patient "proves" how serious they are.
C'mon! Obesity causes very serious health issues like high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, sleep apnea, and stroke. The medications and/or treatments for these ailments can cost much more than the surgery annually for each patient if they're hospitalized once. My sleep apnea machine cost more than a grand, even before I used it once. The supplies for it cost about $600 a year, and that's what my insurance pays for! This doesn't include my regular visits to two different doctors and the obesity-related medications for pain, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar.
Since my LapBand was installed, I no longer need my cholesterol medication, I haven't taken a pain pill in months, I haven't had an apnea problem in three months, and I'm fairly sure my blood sugar is now close to normal, judging by the way I feel. That's with a "mere" 44 pounds gone out of the nearly 150 total I need to lose by the BMI charts to reach my "healthy" range.
How much more money do the insurance companies have to spend before they figure this out?
Thursday, March 12, 2009
How I Cut My TV Bill in Half
How I Cut My Television Bill in Half
Posted: 19 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST
I’ve had several requests lately to update my two-year quest to find cheap alternatives to cable television. In March of 2007, Kris and I were paying $65.82 for a deluxe digital cable package that we rarely used. “$65.82 a month isn’t a fortune,” I wrote at the time, “but it’s a lot of money to pay for something that doesn’t get used. If we were big TV watchers maybe the cost could be justified. But we aren’t. And it can’t.” To save money, we cut our cable to just the basic channels, which reduced our bill to $11.30/month. We also began to use the iTunes Music Store to subscribe to the shows that we wanted to watch. And over the past year, I’ve become a fan of Hulu, an online service that allows users to watch many past and current shows for free. Here’s an overview of the tools we use, and how much money we’ve managed to save. The iTunes StoreWhen we cut our cable bill from $65.82 per month to $11.30, I knew we would save over $50 per month. I also knew that we’d miss a couple of shows we really like. We don’t watch a lot of television, but we do like our Battlestar Galactica. So, I made a deal with Kris. “If you’ll let me cut back to basic cable,” I said, “then I’ll purchase any shows you want from the iTunes Store.” She was reluctant at the time, but over the past two years, we’ve found that there really aren’t that many shows we want to watch. Since we started, we’ve purchased eleven “seasons” from iTunes, totaling $398.42 (or about $36.22 per season). This works out to about $16.60 per month. When added to our $11.30 basic cable bill, we’re paying $27.90 each month for television. That’s less than half of what we were paying before. Note: Kris and I also use Netflix to watch television. Over the past year, we’ve consumed seasons of MASH, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and Foyle’s War. I’m not including that $16.99/month in these calculations, however, because we were already using Netflix to do the same thing before we cut our cable. Just be aware that we’re spending another $200/year for DVDs by mail. (And, yes, we do get our money’s worth.) HuluWe’ve also found a way to watch certain shows for free. For a short time last year, NBC/Universal and Apple got cranky with each other. NBC/Universal pulled its shows (including Battlestar!) from the iTunes Music Store. What’s a geek to do? Answer: watch the shows for free through Hulu, which features content from NBC, Fox, and many other sources. Crisis averted. Over the past year, I’ve come to love Hulu. It took some GRS reader encouragement for me to actually explore the site’s potential, but now that I know how it works, I’m hooked. Here’s the basic premise: Hulu allows viewers to watch new and classic television programs for free. (The site also includes a small selection of feature films.) Each program includes the normal commercial breaks, just as on television. However, instead of being bombarded by two minutes (or more) of commercials at each break, you’re subjected to a single 15- to 60-second ad (that you cannot interrupt). To me, that’s a fair trade for free programs. Most current NBC and Fox programs are available on Hulu, though each show seems to have its own schedule. Older shows offer full seasons. Some shows, like 30 Rock, only offer the “trailing 5 episodes”. That is, you can only watch the most recent 5 episodes from the series. Others, like The Biggest Loser (which I’m now addicted to thanks to readers at Get Fit Slowly) only allow one episode to appear at a time — and it’s last week’s episode. (So, please — no spoilers about what happened Tuesday night!) Although Hulu doesn’t directly host content from ABC or CBS, it does index these shows, and link to their source pages. So, for example, if you want to use Hulu to watch Lost, you can do so. When you look for the latest episode of Lost, Hulu will redirect you to the ABC website. This is a nice touch. Hulu offers a nice library of classic television, including Adam-12 For me, though, the best part of Hulu is its library of classic television. When I was sick with the flu in early December, I spent two days plowing through old episodes of Adam-12. (Which was much better than I had remembered.) Hulu also includes shows like: Battlestar Galactica (new and classic) Arrested Development The Bob Newhart Show Miami Vice Hill Street Blues And even The Dave Ramsey Show! Actually, I just noticed that Gary Vaynerchuk’s video wine blog, The Thunder Show, is available on Hulu, too! My biggest complaint with the site is that navigation is clumsy. It’s sometimes difficult for me to find what I’m looking for. (The “browse TV shows alphabetically” view is most useful for me.) Disclaimer: I know I sound like I’m shilling for Hulu, but I promise you: I’m not being paid to write this. I just think it’s a great service, and it’s one I would never have fully explored if Get Rich Slowly readers hadn’t encouraged me to do so. Other optionsThough these are the tools that Kris and I use for our television consumption, there are other options available. For example, I’m a big fan of the public library for books, but I haven’t used it for TV on DVD, though I’m sure that’s possible. I’m also aware of Veoh and Joost, though I haven’t tried either of them. Those of you in Western Europe may want to explore Zattoo, a free downloadable app that lets you watch certain television content on your computer. (And, via the comments, Jeremiah Bell notes that Canadian readers can find streaming television at CTV and GlobalTV.) None of these is going to satisfy those who truly enjoy television. If you must see your show right now, or if you are a fan of live sports, you may have to fork over the dough for a deluxe cable package. I’m content to wait. It saves me money, and it lets me watch shows on my terms. Footnote: After I finished composing this article, I learned that GRS reader Mike Panic has drafted a fantastic list of websites that stream full TV shows and movies. This is a colossal list, and well-worth bookmarking. ---Related Articles at Get Rich Slowly: links for 2007-03-23 How 15 Minutes Saved Me 15% on My Television Bill The 9 Strangest Tax Write-Offs Tip: Pay Your Bills as They Arrive The New Math: Cheap Alternatives to Cable Television
Posted: 19 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST
I’ve had several requests lately to update my two-year quest to find cheap alternatives to cable television. In March of 2007, Kris and I were paying $65.82 for a deluxe digital cable package that we rarely used. “$65.82 a month isn’t a fortune,” I wrote at the time, “but it’s a lot of money to pay for something that doesn’t get used. If we were big TV watchers maybe the cost could be justified. But we aren’t. And it can’t.” To save money, we cut our cable to just the basic channels, which reduced our bill to $11.30/month. We also began to use the iTunes Music Store to subscribe to the shows that we wanted to watch. And over the past year, I’ve become a fan of Hulu, an online service that allows users to watch many past and current shows for free. Here’s an overview of the tools we use, and how much money we’ve managed to save. The iTunes StoreWhen we cut our cable bill from $65.82 per month to $11.30, I knew we would save over $50 per month. I also knew that we’d miss a couple of shows we really like. We don’t watch a lot of television, but we do like our Battlestar Galactica. So, I made a deal with Kris. “If you’ll let me cut back to basic cable,” I said, “then I’ll purchase any shows you want from the iTunes Store.” She was reluctant at the time, but over the past two years, we’ve found that there really aren’t that many shows we want to watch. Since we started, we’ve purchased eleven “seasons” from iTunes, totaling $398.42 (or about $36.22 per season). This works out to about $16.60 per month. When added to our $11.30 basic cable bill, we’re paying $27.90 each month for television. That’s less than half of what we were paying before. Note: Kris and I also use Netflix to watch television. Over the past year, we’ve consumed seasons of MASH, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and Foyle’s War. I’m not including that $16.99/month in these calculations, however, because we were already using Netflix to do the same thing before we cut our cable. Just be aware that we’re spending another $200/year for DVDs by mail. (And, yes, we do get our money’s worth.) HuluWe’ve also found a way to watch certain shows for free. For a short time last year, NBC/Universal and Apple got cranky with each other. NBC/Universal pulled its shows (including Battlestar!) from the iTunes Music Store. What’s a geek to do? Answer: watch the shows for free through Hulu, which features content from NBC, Fox, and many other sources. Crisis averted. Over the past year, I’ve come to love Hulu. It took some GRS reader encouragement for me to actually explore the site’s potential, but now that I know how it works, I’m hooked. Here’s the basic premise: Hulu allows viewers to watch new and classic television programs for free. (The site also includes a small selection of feature films.) Each program includes the normal commercial breaks, just as on television. However, instead of being bombarded by two minutes (or more) of commercials at each break, you’re subjected to a single 15- to 60-second ad (that you cannot interrupt). To me, that’s a fair trade for free programs. Most current NBC and Fox programs are available on Hulu, though each show seems to have its own schedule. Older shows offer full seasons. Some shows, like 30 Rock, only offer the “trailing 5 episodes”. That is, you can only watch the most recent 5 episodes from the series. Others, like The Biggest Loser (which I’m now addicted to thanks to readers at Get Fit Slowly) only allow one episode to appear at a time — and it’s last week’s episode. (So, please — no spoilers about what happened Tuesday night!) Although Hulu doesn’t directly host content from ABC or CBS, it does index these shows, and link to their source pages. So, for example, if you want to use Hulu to watch Lost, you can do so. When you look for the latest episode of Lost, Hulu will redirect you to the ABC website. This is a nice touch. Hulu offers a nice library of classic television, including Adam-12 For me, though, the best part of Hulu is its library of classic television. When I was sick with the flu in early December, I spent two days plowing through old episodes of Adam-12. (Which was much better than I had remembered.) Hulu also includes shows like: Battlestar Galactica (new and classic) Arrested Development The Bob Newhart Show Miami Vice Hill Street Blues And even The Dave Ramsey Show! Actually, I just noticed that Gary Vaynerchuk’s video wine blog, The Thunder Show, is available on Hulu, too! My biggest complaint with the site is that navigation is clumsy. It’s sometimes difficult for me to find what I’m looking for. (The “browse TV shows alphabetically” view is most useful for me.) Disclaimer: I know I sound like I’m shilling for Hulu, but I promise you: I’m not being paid to write this. I just think it’s a great service, and it’s one I would never have fully explored if Get Rich Slowly readers hadn’t encouraged me to do so. Other optionsThough these are the tools that Kris and I use for our television consumption, there are other options available. For example, I’m a big fan of the public library for books, but I haven’t used it for TV on DVD, though I’m sure that’s possible. I’m also aware of Veoh and Joost, though I haven’t tried either of them. Those of you in Western Europe may want to explore Zattoo, a free downloadable app that lets you watch certain television content on your computer. (And, via the comments, Jeremiah Bell notes that Canadian readers can find streaming television at CTV and GlobalTV.) None of these is going to satisfy those who truly enjoy television. If you must see your show right now, or if you are a fan of live sports, you may have to fork over the dough for a deluxe cable package. I’m content to wait. It saves me money, and it lets me watch shows on my terms. Footnote: After I finished composing this article, I learned that GRS reader Mike Panic has drafted a fantastic list of websites that stream full TV shows and movies. This is a colossal list, and well-worth bookmarking. ---Related Articles at Get Rich Slowly: links for 2007-03-23 How 15 Minutes Saved Me 15% on My Television Bill The 9 Strangest Tax Write-Offs Tip: Pay Your Bills as They Arrive The New Math: Cheap Alternatives to Cable Television
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